Betking_ng_ The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from AFCON.jpg

AFCON 2023 is finally over and we’re thrilled you enjoyed our comprehensive coverage of the tournament, including top-notch betting tips featured on our blog. Before we bid farewell to what has been the most exciting tournament in a long time, here’s a roundup of some of the AFCON news that captured our attention during this remarkable tournament.  

**The Good** 

**Sébastien Haller & Ivory Coast Complete Fairytale Comeback**  

The Ivorians sealed a magnificent AFCON title triumph after coming from behind to beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final. It was a comeback story for the ages when you consider the hurdles the team had to overcome. Sébastien Haller wasn’t Ivory Coast’s best player in this tournament. In fact, he wasn’t the best player in the final - that was Simon Adingra. But his personal journey reminded us of why we love the sport. In July 2022, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and in February 2023, he beat it and returned to football. Fast forward a year later and he scores the winning goal to complete Ivory Coast’s comeback. This moment mirrored his personal comeback to beat cancer, marking a perfect storybook chapter. No wonder the great Pele fondly called football “The Beautiful Game”.  

**Emilio Nsue Wins the Golden Boot** 

The name “Emilio Nsue” was virtually unknown beyond the shores of Equatorial Guinea until AFCON 2023. In fact, many respected journalists across the continent would have had some difficulty identifying him in a lineup, let alone naming his club. Yet, this 34-year-old Right-Back/Winger defied expectations by setting records in the tournament, clinching the golden boot with his 5 goals, and putting an end to a 16-year AFCON hat-trick drought. What an incredible story!  

**Cape Verde’s Beautiful Football… nd Beautiful Fans**  

Cape Verde captured the hearts of the Africans with their beautiful attacking football… and their beautiful fans. They topped Group B ahead of Egypt and Ghana, netting 7 goals, including two remarkable strikes against Mozambique. Despite reaching the quarter-finals, their journey ended in disappointment as they were eliminated on penalties by South Africa. It was a bitter moment for them and neutrals because it brought an end to their beautiful football… and their beautiful fans. One thing is for sure, the “visit caboverde” website will experience a surge in traffic over the coming months. 

**South Africa’s PSL** 

South Africa finished 3rd at the AFCON following years of disappointment, and this year’s success was due to them doing things their way. Bafana Bafana crafted a team predominantly composed of domestic talents, with 10 players hailing from league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. Among them, captain Ronwen Williams stood out, earning the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award. Super Eagles’ Stanley Nwabali, who plays for the PSL’s Chippa United, also flourished at AFCON 2023, solving the goalkeeper headache that had plagued the Nigeria national football team for years. This achievement serves as an exceptional promotion for the South African league, positioning it as the premier destination for footballers across Africa and beyond. 

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**Angola’s Attacking Football** 

Led by Gelson Dala’s 4 goals and 1 assist, the Angola’s reached the quarter-final of the AFCON - their furthest since they hosted it in 2010. With 9 goals scored, they tied for the highest goal tally in the tournament and surpassed their total from the last three AFCON editions combined. Their standout performance came in a 3-0 victory over Namibia in the Round of 16, which showcased the team’s cohesion and ruthlessness in front of goal. Mabululu’s clinical finish in the 66th minute of that match should be studied by every kid hoping to make it as a professional footballer.  

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**Mauritania Make History**  

Mauritania secured their first ever AFCON win; a 1-0 victory over Algeria on Matchday 3. Coach Amir Abdou, who had done some fine job with Comoros at the last AFCON, was in charge of the North Africans, and not only did he deliver a historic first win for them, he also helped them reach the knock-out stage for the first time.  



**DR Congo Defy The Odds** 

With the political unrest back home and with hundreds of their countrymen losing their lives daily, DR Congo came into this tournament with a lot more than football on their mind. They made it out of a tricky Group F, despite not winning a game before knocking out Egypt and Guinea in the latter stages. While a 4th place finish may lack glamour, for this team, it speaks volumes about their resilience as a people and stands as a source of immense pride. 

**The Bad** 

**Algeria’s Calamitous Campaign**  

Since their triumph in 2019, Algeria’s AFCON performances have been disappointing, failing to secure a single victory in two consecutive editions. In both tournaments, they finished at the bottom of their group, managing only 4 goals (in 6 games) while conceding 8. This underwhelming outcome is puzzling given their roster, which boasts a mix of seasoned veterans and promising talents coveted by many nations. **Their manager, Djamel Belmadi, has since been sacked.**  

**Ghana** 

Ghana’s 42-year wait for an AFCON title continued after yet another abysmal display. Just like at AFCON 2021, they failed to win a match this year, though they scored an impressive 5 goals. Reminder: the last time the Black Stars lifted the trophy, only 8 teams participated at the AFCON. **Their manager, Chris Hughton, has also been sacked**

**Egypt’s Rotten Luck**  

Egypt endured a disappointing AFCON campaign, failing to secure a victory despite finishing second in their group. The absence of Mo Salah due to injury presented a significant challenge, but Mostafa Mohamed from Nantes stepped up with 4 goals in 4 games. Trézéguet also made notable contributions with 2 assists, remaining a consistent threat in the attacking third. Nevertheless, without Salah, one of best footballers in the world, Egypt lacked their usual x-factor on the field. **Their manager, Rui Vitória, has been sacked.**  

**Senegal’s Over-Confidence**  

On the song **“Public Service Announcement’** , American rapper Jay-Z recalled a simple but important piece of advice Strick (a street basketballer) once gave a teammate who didn’t follow through on an easy layup; **“dude, finish your breakfast”.** Senegal’s issue in this AFCON mirrored this sentiment—they played with their food, lacking the killer instinct needed for success. Despite being arguably the most talented team, their overconfidence proved costly, preventing them from clinching consecutive titles or, at least, making a deep run. This flaw was clear in their match against Cameroon, where they comfortably led 2-0 but only scored a third goal after the Indomitable Lions threatened a comeback. A similar scenario unfolded in the Round of 16 against Ivory Coast, where they took an early lead but relaxed, ultimately suffering the consequences. **Aliou Cissé remains as manager, which is understandable seeing as he won the tournament 2 years ago.**  

**Morocco’s Wait Continues**  

The Morocco national football team showed glimpses of why they were the favourites for this tournament. They topped their group with 5 goals scored and conceded only once. Achraf Hakimi created 4 chances, the most by any player in the tournament, while Azzedine Ounahi and Sofiane Boufal dazzled opponents, both ranking in the top 5 of successful dribbles per game. Everything was going well till they were stunned by the South Africans in the Round of 16. Despite this setback, such exits are a part of football, reminding us of its unpredictable nature. That said, the wait for the title continues for Morocco, now stretching to 48 years, with hopes resting on next year’s opportunity to clinch it on home soil. **Walid Regragui remains as manager, which is understandable seeing as he got them to the FIFA World Cup semi-final a little over a year ago.**

**The Ugly: Alex Iwobi’s Scapegoating**  

Scapegoating is a dark side of football. It might start off as “just banter”, but it often grows into something dark. Following England’s final loss in EURO 2020, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho faced racist abuse and death threats for their penalty misses. David Beckham suffered similar abuses and death threats in away matches in the English Premier League after his red card at the 1998 World Cup played a huge part in their elimination. In the most extreme case, Andrés Escobar was fatally shot 6 times just days after scoring an own-goal that effectively ended Colombia’s 1994 World Cup run. His killer reportedly exclaimed “Gol!” after each shot, echoing the commentator’s mention of “Goal!” following Escobar’s mistake. Escobar’s death serves as a stark reminder of how swiftly situations can turn ugly. 

Alex Iwobi faced unjustified criticism following Nigeria’s exit from the AFCON. Despite being played out of position, he gave his best effort. Due to Wilfried Ndidi’s absence from injury, Iwobi was deployed as a holding midfielder in Jose Peseiro’s 3-4-3 formation - a position he had never played in his senior career. With Nigeria’s midfield duo of Iwobi and Frank Onyeaka often outnumbered by the opposition in almost every game in this tournament, Iwobi not only found himself out of position but also overwhelmed, leading to fatigue late in games. 

Alex Iwobi’s status as the second most capped active player for the national team, with 76 caps surpassing his uncle Jay-Jay Okocha’s 73, highlights his dedication to the Super Eagles. In fact, just 6 players in the history of Nigerian football have been capped more times - Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo, Mikel Obi, Nwankwo Kanu and Mudashiru Lawal. But all that aside, even if he wasn’t a valuable member of the team, and even if he wasn’t played out of position, he still shouldn’t be scapegoated for losing a team game. Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Odion Ighalo, Daniel Akpeyi, Maduka Okoye, and Francis Uzoho have also been subjected to online bullying by fans and there’s a worry of a trend being set here - an ugly trend.  

Passionate sports fans sometimes cross the line into online bullying, using their fervour as an excuse for harmful behaviour. This behaviour is wrong because it can lead to emotional distress and harm to individuals targeted, tarnishing the enjoyment of sports for everyone involved. It’s important to remember that sports should unite people in healthy competition and camaraderie, rather than serve as a platform for negativity and abuse.  

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After a month of enthralling football, AFCON 2023 has ended. Enjoy this review of the tournament, along with tips on how to enjoy our new welcome offer!

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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from AFCON 2023